One prominent area of current scientific research in the medical field is focused upon artificially replicating human bones and other types of tissues. One of the goals of such research is to provide surgeons with artificially fabricated materials that may then be incorporated into a human patient during surgery.
Currently, some surgeons remove bone or tissues from one portion of a patient's body and reattach the bone or tissues in another portion of the patient's body. For example, during spinal surgery, bone from the hip is sometimes removed and incorporated into the spine. Some other surgeons are forced to incorporate metal components (e.g., metal rods and/or plates) in portions of a patient's body where natural bone has been shattered or has deteriorated.
Structurally, natural bone is a composite material that includes hydroxyapatite (HA) and fibrous collagen. In natural bone, the HA crystals are embedded within the collagen fiber matrix and are aligned along the long axis of fibers.
Currently, no method exists for artificially replicating the exact structure of natural bone. Even the most advanced methods for artificially replicate natural bone structure have at least been unsuccessful in aligning HA crystals in a manner analogous to the alignment in natural bone. As such, artificially generated bone does not have the same mechanical/biological/chemical properties as naturally occurring bone.